Operating mechanism for hopper-car doors.



E. F. VANSTEENBERG. OPERATING MECHANlSM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APRJZG. I916- Patented Jan. 21,1919.

1,292,163 4 SHEETS-SHETI 1% I fldenfii 1n: mums rnnu m. rnmLnna. usmuonm, a. c.

E. F. VANSTEENBERG. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26. l9l6.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ikd? lifzanafeenfi y M man:

E. F. VANSTEENBERG. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.26. 1916. 1,292,163. Patented Jan. 21,1919. 4 SHEETS-SHEEI 3 .1" m. .mwm mm. B c

n1: may: I

E. F. VANS TEENBERG. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED maze. 1916. 1,292,163. f

Patented J an. 21, 1919.

UNITED s'ra EDWARD F. VANSTEEN'BERG OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER-CAR DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Application filed April 26, 1916. Serial No. 93,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. VAN- STEENBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Hopper-Oar Doors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention. has particular reference to the operating mechanism for the dump doors of hopper bottom cars and has for its object the provision of such operating mechanism wherein is included a common actuatin member for both opening and closing the coors; also a construction by which the power is applied in greater degree during the final closing and locking of the doors as compared with the earlier stages of the closing movement; also an arrangement whereby upon the operation of the actuating member in the opening direction, a predetermined amount of slack in the closing connections will be released to permit of the sudden dropping of the doors to open position under the weight of the load. Other advantageous features of the invention from an operating standpoint will be apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

In order that the invention may be readily understood both from the standpoint of construction and that of operation, a preferred embodiment of the same is set forth in the accompanying drawing and in the detailed description based thereon. It will be obvious, however, that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms, wherefore the drawings and description are to be taken in an illustrative rather than in an unnecessarily limiting sense. In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a hopper bottom car showing the invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section above the car floor;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the door-operating mechanism showing the same in a closed position of the door;

' Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. d in the open position of the door;

Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional view through the actuating shaft showing the chain winding drums in elevation:

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a slightly modified form of construction; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan of that form shown in-Fig. 7 g

The invention is herein shown as applied to a center dump car having four doors'arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the car center sill. Obviously the number of doors 1 may be increased or decreased as circumstances may demand. Each pair of doors is operated by an actuating shaft independent of that for operating the other. set of doors. The means for operating the two pairs of doors are identical as the members of each pair are alike, wherefore a, description of the operating mechanism-for one pair of doors will suffice for all.

Having reference particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that on each side of the car, suitably ournaled'in the-side and central frame portions thereof is an actuating shaft 11 having a squared end 12 and provided with a ratchet and pawl locking mechanism indicated at 13, the squared end 12 being adapted to the reception ofa hand wheel or crank for the rotation of the shaft.

Upon the shaft 11 is fixed a drum 14 com. prising a cylindrical portion 15 at each end with an intermediate eccentric cam portion 16. To each of the cylindrical portions 15 of the drum on opposite sides of the cam portion 16 and diametrically disposed with regard to said drum, are attached chalns 17, 17 which are led over idler pulleys 18, 18 and which serve to openthe drop doors 1n the manner hereinafter described. On theintermediate cam portion of the drum and at one side of its highest part, (Fig. 6) is secured a chain 19 the point of attachment being to a shoulder portion 20. Thi chain traverses the cam portion 16 of the 3 drum and thence leads to an equalizer bar 21 to the opposite ends of which are attached chains 22, 22 for the closing will be hereinafter described.

of the doors as the toggle members 28.

The drop doors 23 are hinged at 24 to the lower edge of the sloping portion of the hopper 25 which doors tend toopen by gravity and under the influence of the load resting thereon.

Suitably journaled beneath the actuating shaft 11 in transverse bridge members 26 is a fulcrum shaft 27 upon which. is fulcrumed' one member 28 of the toggle levers 28, 29,.

the member 29 being pivotally connected to the drop door 23 at 30. The member 28 of the toggle has an arm 28 which extends beyond the fulcrum shaft 27 to a point of connection at 31 with the door closing chain 22 while the other arm of the toggle lever 28* extends beyond the joint of the toggle at 32 to a point of connection at 33 with the door-opening chain 17. The members 28 of the toggle may be composed of spaced parallel elements suitably secured together by rivets 34 adjacent the fulcrum shaft 27 and by rivets '35 adjacent the toggle joint 32, or as shown in Figs. 7 and 8,.they may be formed as slotted one piece castings, with extended hubs 27, the toggle members 29 lying between the spaced elements or in the slot of The rivets 35 or sleeves 35 located between the elements of the toggle members 28 or the end 35 of the cast member 28 are arranged to bear as stops upon the upper edge of the toggle 29 so as to confine the relative movement of the toggle members in one direction while permitting the toggle to break freely in the other direction as will be obvious It will be noted that the toggle joint 32 and the stops 35 and 35 are below a line connecting the fulcrum 27 and the pivot 30 in the closed position of the door (Fig. 4), in which position the doors are locked against opening under the weight of the load, the load serving to hold the toggle more securely in the extended position indicated in said figure.

Assuming the doors to be in the closed position with a loaded car, the actuation of the shaft 11 in a clockwise direction, having reference to Fig. 4, will first slack away the chains 19, 22,,while drawing on the chains 17 to lift the joint 32 of the toggle above its locking position. During this initial movement, however, the extent to which the chains 19, 22 are slacked away will exceed the extent to which the chains 17 are wound upon the drum for the reason that the chain 19 in the closed position of the doorsbears upon the shoulder 20 which is at a greater radial distance from the shaft 11. Thus sufficient initial slack will be provided in the chains 19, 22 so that when the toggle is unlocked the weight of the load pressing upon the doors 23 will cause an unrestrained initial opening movement, and the further movement of the shaft 11 and eccentric drum 16, slacking away the chains 19., 22, faster than the winding up of the chains 17, will throw them quickly to the open position shown in Fig. 5 with considerable slack in the chains 17 the ends 28 of the toggle member 28 being elevated while the arms 28 are lowered, there being sufficient slack in the chains 19, 22 to allow freedom of movement to toggle levers 28, 29 and doors 23.

Assuming the doors to be in the open po sition indicated in Fig. 5, an actuating of the shaft 11 in a counter-clockwise direction will gradually pay out the chains 17 from the cylindrical surface of the drum, while the chain 19 will be rapidly wound atfirst upon the highest part of the cam 16. As the drop doors approach their closed position by the straightening of the toggle under the influence of the chains 19, 22 the effective portion of the cam drum at its lowest portion will cause the chain 19 to be wound less rapidly nearer the axis of the shaft whereby the power applied to the toggle willbe multiplied over the power at the initial 'movement. The application of a power will be greatest at the moment that the toggle is straight and, as the stop 35 passes the right line between the center of applicationof the toggle to the fulcrum and door, a slight slack will be imparted to the chains 22 whichis taken up by the chain 19 at this moment riding upon the shoulder 20.

It will thus be seen that the common actuating shaft 11 serves to both open and close the doors; that by the provision of a toggle arranged tobreak in but one direction. the doors are automatically locked in closed position by the load resting thereon; that by winding of the opening chains upon a cylindrical drum and the closing chains upon a cam or eccentric drum of varying contour, sufficient slack is imparted to the closing chains in the initial. opening movement to permit the door to start its opening movement quickly under the influence of the load resting thereon after the breaking of the toggle; that in the closing movement of the doors the power exerted through the toggle from the actuatin shaft is greatest in the final closing movement as compared with the initial closing movement; and that after the doors are locked, the slack which would otherwise be imparted to the closing chains by the dropping of the toggle beyond its extended position is taken up by the shoulder ing shaft 11 of the two'pairs of doors may be I consolidated in one shaft so-that the two pairs of doors may be opened and closedsimultaneously instead of independently as'previously described. It will also be understood that while in the present embodiment the two members of each pair of doors are arranged to be operated simultaneously through their connection with the equalizer bar 21' atta ched to the closing chain 19, either of the chains 22 might be disconnected or the actuating shaft 11 and the closing chain 19 might be duplicated providing one of each for each of the doors.

' I claim:

1. In drop-door mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, an operating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including a winding chain, and

- an. eccentric drum'traversed by said chain,

said drum so proportioned as to increase the application of power through the chain at the final closing movement of the door.

2. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, an operating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including a winding chain, and an eccentric drum on the shaft traversed by said chain, said drum so proportioned as to increase the application of power through the chain at the final closing movement of the door,

3. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same in either direction, an operating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including an opening chain and a closing chain suitably connected to the door, the two chains reversely wound on the shaft, the portions of the shaft traversed by the chains being so respectively proportioned as to actuate the door-closing chain more rapidly than the other to provide slack therein upon the opening of the doors.

4. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same in either direction, an oper ating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including an opening chain and a closing chain suitably connected to the door, the two chains reversely wound on the shaft, the portions of the shaft traversed by the chains being so respectively proportioned as to actuate the door-closing chain more rapidly than the other to provide slack therein upon the opening of the door, and also so proportioned as to increase the application of power through the said chain at the final door closing movement.

5. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same in either direction, an operating connection between theshaft and door, said connection including an opening chain and a closing chain suitably connected to the door, the two chains reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door closing chain being cam shaped in cross section and so proportioned and arranged as to actuate the chain more rapidly than the other to provide slack therein upon the opening of the doors.

6. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same in either direction, an operating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including an opening chain and a closing chain suitably connected to the door, the two chains reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door closing chain being cam shaped in cross section and so proportioned and arranged as to actuate the chain more rapidly than the other to provide slack therein upon the opening of the door, and also so proportioned as to increase the application of power through its chain at the final closing movement of the door.

7. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same in either direction, an operating connection between the shaft and door, said connection including an opening chain and a closing chain suitably connected to the door, the two chains reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door-closing chain being cam shaped in cross section with two high points and so proportioned and arranged as to actuate its chain more rapidly than the other to provide slack therein upon the opening of the doors and also so proportioned as to increase the application of power through its chain at the final closing movement of the door.

8. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same, toggle levers operatively connected to the door and arranged to break in but one direction, a stop being provided beyond the center line of the extended levers to effect automatic locking of the toggle against the weight ofthe door, means to break the toggle to open the door, means to straighten the toggle to close the door comprising a chain wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door closing chain being a cam having a high point arranged to actuate the chain more rapidly at the initial than at the final door closing movement whereby to increase the application of power to the door in the final closing movement of the same.

9. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same, toggle levers operatively connected to the door and arranged to break in but one direction, a stop being provided beyond the center line of the extended levers to effect automatic locking of the toggle against the weight of the door, means to break the toggle to open the door comprising a chain wound on the shaft, means to straighten the toggle to close the door comprising a chain reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door-closing chain being a cam having two high points, one arranged to actuate the chain more rapidly at the initial than at the final door closing movement and again after the'passing of the toggle from extended into locked position, whereby to increase the application of power to the door in the final closing movement of the same and also to 1 provide slack in the closing chain at-the initial. door opening movement.

10. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same, toggle levers operatively connected to the door and arranged to break in but one direction, a stop being provided beyond the center line of the extended levers to efiect automatic locking of the toggle against the Weight of the door, one member of the toggle extending at one end beyond thetoggle fulcrum and at the other end beyond the toggle joint, a door-closing chain connected to the first named extension, and a door opening chain connected to the second extension, the chains reversely Wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door closing chain being a cam having a high point arranged to actuate the chain more rapidly at the initial than at the final door-closing movement, whereby to increase the application of power to the door in the final closing movement of the same.

V 11. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same, toggle levers operatively connected to the door and arranged to break in but one direction, a stop-being provided beyond the center line of the extended levers to effect automatic locking of the toggle against the weight of the door, one member of the toggle extending at one end beyond the toggle fulcrum and .at the other end beyond the toggle joint, a door-closing chain connected to the first named extension, and a door-opening chain connected to the second extension, the chains reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door closing chain being a cam having two high points, one arranged to actuate the chain more rapidly at the initial than at the final door-closing movement and Copies of this patent may be obtained for the other after the passing of the toggle from extended into locked position, whereby to increase the application of power to the door in the final closing movement of the same and also to provide slack in the closing chain at the initial door-opening movement. 7 I a H 12. In drop-door operating mechanism, the combination of an actuating shaft, means to rotate the same, toggle levers operatively connected to the door and arranged to break in but one direction, a stop being provided beyond the center line of the extended levers to effect automatic locking of the toggle against the weight of the door, one member of the toggle extending at one end beyond the toggle fulcrum and at the other end beyond the toggle joint, a duplicate toggle mechanism for an oppositely arranged door, a pair of door-closing chains connected re spectively to the first named extension of each toggle mechanism and to a common equalizer bar, a common closing chain connected to the bar, a door-opening chain connected to the second extension of each toggle member, the separate door-opening chains and the common door-closingchain reversely wound on the shaft, that portion of the shaft traversed by the door-closing chain being a cam having two high points, one arranged to actuate the chaini more rapidly at the initial door closing movement and the other after the passing of the toggle from extended into locked position, whereby to increase the application of power to the door in the final closing movement of the same and also to provide slack in the closing chain at the initial door-opening movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVitnesses:

GUY G. PHILLIPS, F. W. FORGRAPER.

f ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents,

Washington, D. C. 

